ACT QUICKLY OR RUGBY DOOMED SIR BILL IS TOLD
Barnsley 2 Blackburn
SIR BILL BEAUMONT has been warned rugby union faces “extinction within a couple of generations” if urgent action is not taken to tackle brain injuries.
An open letter, sent today to the chairman of World Rugby by powerful voices from across the game, claims that in its present form it is “broken”.
Progressive Rugby says more must be done to protect the health and wellbeing of players from excessive workloads, brain trauma and “potentially serious and life-threatening consequences that come from repeated concussive and sub-concussive injuries”.
Among demands are limited contact in training and substitutions allowed only for injury, to avoid tired players coming up against those fresh from the bench.
The group was formed by former players James Haskell (above) and Jamie Cudmore in alliance with Professors John Fairclough and Bill Ribbans.
Signatories to the letter include World Cup winner Steve Thompson, recently diagnosed with early onset dementia and one of nine retired players to have launched legal proceedings against World Rugby.
Ex-England internationals Kyran Bracken and Tim Stimpson, former England women’s captain Catherine Spencer and past and present
Wales duo Jonathan Davies and Josh Navidi have lent support.
The proposed plan of action includes recommendations for a concussion database and a concussion fund, health passports, health MOTs and the involvement of independent brain experts alongside sports scientists.
“We all love the game of rugby, and want to see it continue in the long-term,” said Dr Barry O’Driscoll, World Rugby’s former medical adviser. “However, the game as it is, is broken, with many more players likely to end up with neurological impairments in the future.”
The lobbyists wish to see themselves as “teammates not opponents” of the governing body. But their letter is a direct response to a claim by Beaumont (inset) that World Rugby is doing everything it can on the issue of brain trauma.
Progressive Rugby argues the authorities have a “moral and legal duty to minimise risk and to inform players and parents of the risk of brain damage from repeated knocks”.
They believe “this issue is the greatest threat to the worldwide game” and want rugby to follow the example of the NFL which has “metamorphosed from a sport in denial to a proactive organisation”.
They also want talks with World Rugby over “how we can work together to get control of this issue that threatens the very future of our game”.
1 CARLTON MORRIS and Alex Mowatt kept Barnsley’s play-off hopes alive despite Adam Armstrong’s late strike for Blackburn.
A well-organised Rovers disrupted Barnsley’s high press and Tykes boss Valerien Ismael used all five subs to try to find a way through. It proved an inspired move.
Morris (right), on after 55 minutes, curled the ball in off a post and fellow sub Daryl Dike then played in Mowatt who slotted home late on.
Armstrong pulled a goal back deep into injury time for the visitors.